School Bullying and Health Risk Behavior Outcomes among Adolescents in Florida

This study's purpose is to examine the association between bullying and health-risk behavior outcomes among adolescents in Florida schools. Data were drawn from the 2015 Florida Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a school-based survey of high school students from grades 9 to 12 that is conducted biennially. The YRBS estimates six types of health-risk behaviors that contribute to the disability of young youth and the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. The six health risk behaviors are unintentional injuries, tobacco use, sexual health behaviors, dietary, physical activity, and alcohol use. Overall, 6.4 % of students were involved in both kinds of bullying (in-person and electronic bullying); 7.6% in in-person bullying; 4.4% in electronic bullying; and 81.6% of students were uninvolved in bullying. This study adds to previous findings and emphasizes that bullying does not come about in seclusion, but is a pattern of risk behaviors or stipulations, such as school and sexual violence, suicide, substance use, and unhealthy weight control practices.